Western Nevada College
Shut out through the first six innings by Megan Mello, the Western Nevada College softball team didn’t go down without a fight at the Region 18 Softball Tournament on Friday afternoon in Taylorsville, Utah.
College of Southern Nevada’s Mello took a four-hit shutout into the final inning, but the Wildcats fought back to score two runs before falling in the elimination game, 7-2.
Mello, who lost to the Wildcats last weekend when the teams met in Carson City, only allowed multiple WNC base runners in one inning before the seventh frame.
In the seventh, Bailey Henderson delivered a one-out single, stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Katilyn Covione knocked in Henderson with a base hit to right field. Makaylee Jaussi’s single to left field was misplayed and resulted in Covione scoring the second run of the inning.
Mello avoided further damage when Dakota Robinson grounded out and Melanie Mecham lined out to end the game.
The Wildcats’ two-day run in the double-elimination tournament ended with a 2-2 mark. For the first time in program history, the Wildcats opened the tournament with a victory.
A three-run homer by Dacia Sykes with two down in the opening frame put CSN ahead 3-0. WNC missed a chance to cut into CSN’s lead in the second inning after base hits by Pamela Sakuma and Briauna Carter, but Mello retired the next two hitters to thwart the scoring opportunity.
CSN threatened to add to its lead in the fourth inning, loading the bases with two outs against starting pitcher Kristina George. But Sarina Creswell flied out to center fielder Sakuma as the score remained 3-0.
The Coyotes, however, eventually built a 5-0 lead by scoring twice in the fifth inning. A base hit by Rebekka Gross scored CSN’s fourth run and Mello’s sacrifice fly brought home the fifth run.
Vanessa Sanders provided some additional insurance runs in the sixth when she hit a two-run homer.
Earlier on Friday, the Wildcats won by the mercy rule for the first time in their postseason history. In the process, two freshmen who have received limited playing time in recent weeks contributed mightily to the 13-4 five-inning, elimination-game victory over Colorado Northwestern Community College.
Pitcher Kaitlyn Jimmy surrendered only one run over a three-inning span and outfielder Dakota Robinson socked a two-run double to highlight a five-run second inning.
“We knew we needed all cylinders firing offensively for us to be successful in this tournament, and everybody seems to be coming together,” said WNC coach Leah Wentworth. “We’ve been able to get a majority of our lineup producing and getting multiple hits a game.”
The offense also received a jolt from Jaussi, who belted her second homer in as many days, a three-run shot that gave WNC a double-digit lead.
“She’s always really good at finding the barrel of the bat on the ball,” Wentworth said. “I don’t know if she’s in her element or what, but she’s really stepped up at regionals with her bat and producing with power.”
The ‘Cats’ second victory of the tournament moves them into a matchup with either Snow College or College of Southern Nevada at 4 p.m. Friday, weather permitting. Showers are in the forecast for the area later in the afternoon.
In the productive second inning, Robinson connected for a two-run double, Lauren Lesniak contributed a RBI single and Sakuma delivered a run-scoring groundout. The rally chased CNCC starting pitcher RiLee Lutz.
WNC opened the scoring in the first frame, with Robinson triggering the offense. Batting second in the lineup, Robinson singled and stole second base. Mecham plated her teammate with a double to right field for a 1-0 WNC lead. After a Lesniak fly out, Sakuma sent Mecham home with a double to left field.
“Dakota was really hungry for the opportunity and did a great job,” Wentworth said. “She was aggressive at the plate and was hitting the ball hard every outing and was able to generate some runs for us.”
In the third inning, WNC put together a two-out rally to scratch out a couple more runs. Kacie Freudenberger was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a base hit by Jaussi. Robinson put the ball in play for the third time, as her grounder to the right side of the infield was misplayed, allowing Freudenberger to score the Wildcats’ eighth run. Mecham’s second RBI hit of the game scored Jaussi, increasing WNC’s lead to 9-0.
WNC immediately responded to CNCC’s first run of the contest in the top of the fourth inning with a four-run outburst. Covione knocked in a run with a base hit and Jaussi smacked a three-run homer as WNC built a 13-1 advantage.
The Spartans’ Kayla Durfey pulled the Spartans within 13-3 with a two-run homer in the fifth. After CNCC’s third hit of the inning, Wentworth elected to return starting pitcher George to the circle to finish off the victory.
“It’s unbelievable to see how much they’ve improved throughout the year,” Wentworth said. “We’ve just gotten some really great compliments from some of the other coaches and from the spectators who have seen these girls throughout the season.”
Jaussi led the offense with two hits, three runs scored and three RBI and Robinson was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Other contributions included: Mecham, 2 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored; Sakuma, 1 for 3 with two RBI; and Covione, 1 for 3 with two runs scored and two RBI. Carter and Kelsie Callahan also crossed the plate twice.
Jimmy gave up seven hits and four earned runs in three-plus innings. She struck out one and walked one.
“She did a nice job for us,” Wentworth said. “They started to catch up with her, so we went back to Kristina. It was nice to give Kristina a little rest. We are kind of in a survive-and-advance mode right now, and Kristina has been our ace all year, so any amount of rest we can give her through this stretch is really great.”
The Wildcats concluded the season with the most wins in program history – 23.
“It’s exciting to know that they are playing so strong now as a young group and to know what next year may hold as well,” Wentworth said. “Ninety percent of our lineup is made up of freshmen and we’re competing against a lot more experience on every other roster, so it’s exciting.”
